The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-14
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

July "A. ST. HIATT, 3:l5-E.
Zone rystdng these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from tho Holy Scriptures rs
indicated abOve.l
We are now to study very important and
interesting event in the life of our Savior. At
the time, he was 30 years old. (St Lu., 3: %.
Compare NJ, 4: 3, 23l This was the minimum
age required of priests, and. though Jesus was
not of the Levitical family, and therefore not
destined to priesthood, yet his was a very sig
nfcant religious position. and analogy would
suggest the same age as that of priests for be-
ginning his work. At Christ's baptism. st. John
Baptist was thirty and one-half years old. We
can put our lesson August, A. ID. D. The place
of the baptism OF Jesus was Bethabara. (St.
John, l: PSI This WAS on the east side Of the
Jordan, across the river nearly opposite Jeri-
chO, in Perea.
st. John Baptist was son of Zacharias and
Elizabeth. a cousin TO Christ.
One should read the accounts of the baptism
OF Christ as given by SITS. Mark and Luke. (St.
Mark, L: GIL; St. Lu., 3: 2l, 22.)
Jesus went from Galilee ". l3l to Jordan.
Nazareth was his homo from the age of years
10 80. q: 23.) Priests were washed as an in-
auguratiOn ceremony. lev, 3 81 Christ
would become in all points like his brethren.
Heb, 2: H. God made laws to govern men,
aud, when he became a man (Emmanuel). he
would himself recognize the propriety and valid
ity of his own laws. st. John Baptist preached
reformation, holiness, repentance, and Christ
would side with these qualities and so sustain
the work of st. John Baptist. In certain sense
Christ was not himself while incarnated on
earth, but he was we-acted for uS-received
the ordinances needed by mankind-sutfered
inticti0ns due to SIN by coming into relations
with sinners. He was the representative Of
flto hNun He. mot Nuty he M
Savior but our Example Heb, 4: Is; 3: 7-9.)
Christ was a Jew. lie was related to an I'M
clean people though himself holy. Levitically,
ceremOnially, legally, by race, he was among
the unclean of Hag., g: II. 1t was becoming
". l5l then for him to be baptized with the
rest. Further, Christ, as our High Priest, must
be consecrated to his office. Baptism to Christ
was IN some sense an equivalent for the anoint-
ing by oil of prophets, priests and kings among
the Jews. Baptism was a proper. righteous,
seemly ordinance and not uniting for Christ.
Jesus insisted on baptism, aud that though
the baptism Of ST. John Baptist was. nominally
at least. unto repentance. Bat no inbred sin ne
cessaTily attaches itself To the word repentance.
Ii may have a spiritual aud ecclesiastic signifi-
cation. The highest idea OF the act Indicated
10y the word repentance is increase in perfect
ness Though divine, Christ could grow phys
ically and mentally. Such grOwths are char
acieristicS of humanity, and Jesus was surely
human. lie could repent in the sense he could
sceud from lower to higher attainments.
Christ was baptised aud thus inaugurated as
our High Priest and King. Water was the out
ward and visible sign. st. John Baptist was the
| agent. Col indOrsed the act by the descent OF
the Holy Spirit. Thus Jesus received Heavenly
recognition. There was as much fitness in his
being baptized as in his being born or circum-
| esed. Indeed, there was as much fitness in his
baptism as in his praying, and Sc. Luke, mar
rating the baptism, states Jesus in connection
with the ordinance, offered prayer. g: 2l.)
Christ was made sin for US in the sense Of his
being numbered with transgressors. tPs, 40 (:
| 12; Isa., 53: 81
| Ii is interesting to notice he prayed. st. Luke
| (3: 2ll has preserved this fact We would love
To know the prayer offered. This petition is n
feature of his incarnation, and at least partial
! explanation of his baptism. Prayer is proof of
| dependence, humanness. and baptism was as
becoming Christ as prayer. (St. Mt. Ii: %;
20: 39-4i; ST. Mark, 1: 81; st. Lu., 8, l2; 81 Is,
| p, -; ~: -, Al; 23: "a, 46.l
Our Savior seems, in st. Matt, 21: % 81, to
appeal TO his baptism by St. John Baptist as
ground of his authority to do as in 2l: y.
V. may read thus: "The heavens were
opened unto him Jesus and he (St. john Bsp-
/ tIstD saw the Spirit of God lighting
upon him Christi" Some read "The heavens
were opened unto him (St John Baptist) and
| lighting on him Christi" Others read: /" The
heavens were opened unto him (Christ) and
he Christi saw the Spirit lighting
| OH him Christ" Crosby says that Christ and
| ST. John Baptist saw tho dOve-like Spirit. Sc
| Lange Bloomfield declares Christ alone saw the
Spirit descend like dove. DIR. James Strong
| believes the appearance of the seeming dove
was for public attestation of Jesus, and hence
all the people saw the doye-lIke phenomenon
Crosby believes that only Christ heard the
| words, "Thou art my pleased
Strong, Barnes, Neligan think the voice wa.
for the masses. aud was intended as q method
OF convincing the people OF the tTuthfulness O
| Christ's claims. 1t is certain Jesus was no i'm
poster God would not evidence by celestial
phenomena in favor of deceiver.
1t seems Christ went to 81. John Baptist fol
the purpose of receiving his (St. John Baptist's
baptism. Why did Jesus wish this ordinance
Not because he felt conscious of personal sin
fulHeSS. Not because, according to Levtica
law, he was related Ia an unclean, impure peo
pie. Not to show that the weakness OF tn,
flesh aud the life Of the Spirit were incompati
BILE. Not because baptism implies that the re
ceiver is subject 10 the penalty of death. MANY
think his baptism by water was typical Of hi
baptism of suffering and death.) Ii was not 10
| the purpose OF receiving recognition from Cox
| of his MesSiahship. Not to confirm his follower
m their faith in him. Not TO approve by hi
! example of the baptism OF st. John Baptist
| Not Ia show his consciousness of The obligation
TO obey the law. Not because he acted as ever,
Jew would prior TO the descent Of the Hol,
Spirit. The fact is this-GOd sent st. JOhl
Baptist TO baptize Here was plain command
. Christ in order To fulfill all righteousness mus
. obey all Gods directions aud conform to all @
, Gods ordinances. Hence Christ was baptise,
, so as To accomplish every item demanded O
the righteous, or conditional TO ones bein
! righteous.
The question has been raised as to the objec
OF Gods order voiced in V. IL. Some hay
: queried whether they were spoken to inforI
) and assure Christ OF his SOn-ship If they weT
addressed 10 him for this purpose, it may
a they were heard by him alone. Indeed th
1 | question has been asked: Did Christ, prior
+. baptism. know he was the Messiah?"
v We can teach that Gods spirit led Jesus
n go from Nazareth TO BethabaTa for the purpos
[ Of baptism. Compare 4: H.
n We notice how ingeniously Christ convert
[ the assertion Of ST. John Baptist, as to the 81
: periOrty of the character OF Jesus over that
St. John Baptist, into an argument ia favor
his being baptized by st. John Baptist. III
good, then surely he Christi will not declir
, n single item OF Righteousness.
Suppose there had chanced to be a perfect
innocent. holy jew "a mere man, however
y would he have refused the ordinances of ti
:, Church tJewish)? Purity of character ougl
not unchurch person--Ought not deprive hi
. OF church privileges.
u 1t is common for an aged man to appoint
% sue.asznr hut NJ John Baptfst Nas only tbi ri